New sensor glove may help stroke patients recover mobility

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People who have strokes are often left with moderate to severe
physical impairments. Now, thanks to a glove developed at McGill,
stroke patients may be able to recover hand motion by playing video
games. The Biomedical Sensor Glove was developed by four final-year
McGill Mechanical Engineering undergrads under the supervision of
Professor Rosaire Mongrain. It is designed to allow patients to
exercise in their own homes with minimal supervision, while at the
same time permitting doctors to monitor their progress from a
distance, thus cutting down on hospital visits and costs.

Patients can monitor their progress thanks to software which
will generate 3D models and display them on the screen, while at
the same time sending the information to the treating
physician.

The glove was developed by the students in response to a design
request from the startup company Jintronix Inc. The students met
with company representatives once a week for several months to
develop the glove, which can track the movements of the wrist, the
palm and the index finger using several Inertial Measurement Units.
Although similar gloves currently exist, they cost approximately
$30,000. By using more accurate and less expensive sensors, the
students were able to develop a glove that currently costs $1000 to
produce. It is hoped that it will eventually go on the market for
approximately $500. Jintronix, Inc. has submitted the project to
Grand Challenges Canada, which is an independent not-for-profit
organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of
people in developing countries, in the hopes that they will receive
funding for further development.